PSTOIC

With the wide disruption due to Covid-19, there pSTOIC dinne for 2020/21 has been cancelled.

Many thanks to Olivier for introduction:

It was a great night, y’all and great to catch up with everyone! Thanks to Ronjoy for the great organisation! Special mention goes to Kevin who won the “Bring Something Blue” competition by bringing in his own competitive game that could occasionally flash blue LEDs. 2nd Place went to a blue USB cable that lit up, brought by Matthew and 3rd place to a good old fashioned blue Smurf brought by Rex.
Thanks folks and see you next year!

and now to Martin’s magnificent report:

PSTOIC annual dinner – 11th January 2020

Special thanks go to Ronjoy for organising this year’s event (15 people). After a pre-Christmas planning meeting at the The Wheatsheaf off Oxford Street, it was decided to go with Sticky FINGERS in High Street Kensington again for this year’s venue. Rex and Alan suggested meeting beforehand at The Britannia.

This year’s theme was bring something Blue. Items included:

• Alan’s blue Betamax Cassette Tape
• Alex’s Blue Crystal
• Andy’s blue Fifty Sheds Damper book and blue component box
• Doug’s blue Lapis Lazulis Fish Figure
• Jon’s blue 3D Printed Blue Nut & Bolt
• Kevin’s Bluetooth Reaction Game (with blue LEDs – Two Circuit Playground Bluefruit with a blue coneless speaker – full article) and a Kitronik ARCADE (which has blue on the top)
• Martin’s blue STOIC Tie
• Matt’s blue Film Poster and Illuminated USB Cable
• Rex’s blue Smurfs and dancing robot figure
• Rob’s blue Do Not Bodge LED display

Thanks go to Andy for making the composite medal (full write-up). Kevin’s reaction game was especially popular, even the restaurant staff had a go.

2020 pSTOIC dinner winners medal

This year’s judge was Megan. After a rigorous hands-on appraisal of the various entries, Megan announced the following results:

• 1st place
  Kevin with his Bluetooth reaction game (with blue LEDs)
• 2nd place
  Matt’s blue Illuminated USB Cable
• 3rd place
  Rex’s blue Smurfs

Apologies for absence:

• Russ Casey – Sorry guys – I’m not feeling well and will bail on tonight’s dinner. Shame too, as I was looking forward to bringing my blue thing. It’s a mobile retro games console. With heated seats! Have a great time.

Next year’s theme….

Bring something stoic

Pictures

Please visit http://www.g7oli.co.uk/bodge_events.py?19-pStoicJan2020 for all the pictures.

Many thanks to Martin for this magnificent report.

the 2019 Trophy

PSTOIC annual dinner – 19th January 2019

Thanks go to Olivier, Rex and Alan for a great job organising this year’s event (17 people!). Another change of plan was needed for this year, the Wildwood restaurant in Gloucester Road had closed, but as luck would have it, Sticky FINGERS in High Street Kensington was back. Rex and Alan suggested meeting beforehand at The Britannia. Jez brought a selection of his 3D printed cube puzzles to keep us busy. Olivier turned up with a surprise bonus guest – Yazan. By special request, Doug brought back his amazing clockwork bird box.

This year’s theme was bring something Foreign. Items included:

• Alan’s 3D printed Betamax decals
• Andy’s Cuban cigar (remains of), Russian book – The Steel Flea and Danish coins
• Doug’s small figure from China
• Jez’s 3D printed Maltese Falcon
• Kevin’s TITA chocolate biscuit from Argentina
• Martin’s Water chestnuts from Cambodia
• Matt’s Australian boomerang (Brixton market)
• Rex’s Lidl bag and Camera (English?)
• Rob’s Killepitsch Kräuterlikör from Germany

Thanks go to Andy for making the wire medal (full write-up), and to Rex for making the runners up 3D printed PSTOIC bodge owls.

This year’s judges were Yazan, Steve and Richard. After a long discussion (and possible disqualifications), Yazan announced the following:

• 1st place
  Martin’s water chestnuts from Cambodia
• Runner’s up
  Rob’s Killepitsch Kräuterlikör from Germany
  Jez’s Maltese Falcon 3D print

Apologies for absence:

• Carl Fairhurst – I’m not going to be able to make it Saturday. I got tripped up by the dog last week and managed to fall, breaking my ribs. I was hoping I’d be okay to travel, but I’m still not able to move around very well and having to take lots of painkillers.

Next year’s theme….

Bring something blue

Pictures – see http://www.g7oli.co.uk/bodge_events.py?18-pStoicJan2019

Any past or current member of STOIC – Student Television of Imperial College is invited to come to the annual dinner 2019.

This year we are back on familiar ground with a meal booked at Sticky Fingers in High Street Kensington. Noted for it’s Ribs, it was also temporariyl home to a large stone sculpture, brought by Bryan one year to the dinner. Amazingly they have forgotten about this and are allowing us to return.

Dinner Details

Before Dinner Drinks 6:30pm

https://www.britanniakensington.co.uk/

This is a Youngs pub near the restaurant albeit on the opposite side of Ken High Street. There should be plenty of space to mix and mingle before we head over to the food. Gmap https://goo.gl/maps/cR98N625WX72

Sticky Fingers 8pm

1 Phillimore Gardens, Kensington, London W8 7QB

Sit down to eat at 8pm

Party menu only please – SFK-PARTY-MENU1

Info and map: https://www.stickyfingers.co.uk/contact/

The theme for this year’s dinner is “Bring something foreign”.  A few days to go and we currently have 20 places booked so should be a fantastic event this year.

Bryan’s Stone Sculpture

There was a change of plan for this year’s meetup. It was decided (after a number of pre-meetups) to pick a venue suitable for showing some of the old STOIC material from back in the day. Olivier found a suitable room at the Stick’n’Bowl Chinese, but an upstairs room at the Zetland Arms in South Ken was finally decided upon. After a bit of bodging and gaffer tape, a projector and screen were setup showing material cobbled together from a number of sources. Alan and Rex were offering copies on USB sticks.

Olivier had earlier been to visit the Imperial College Archives and made a valuable contact with the curator there. However despite getting access to the actual tape storage area was unable to find many Umatic tapes of Features from 1989-1994. Plenty of news tapes from that period though. The search continues!

This year’s theme was bring something Futuristic. Items included: Doug’s Curta – mechanical calculator, Jez’s Thermal camera attachment and mini computers, Russ’s VR headset,

Andy also brought some copies of his first book A Little Saw (now available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle).

After a short discussion, the following was agreed:

• 1st place
  Jez’s Thermal camera attachment

Thermal Pic – Doug and Rob?

Apologies for absence:

• Hugh Eland – Have great evening and regards from Prague. Hope to join in future.
• Ledda – I am very jealous and wish I could be there! Watching old footage sounds fab
• Bryan – Hoping to be but a possibility I might be working in Manchester on an install.
• Matt – too many excuses to list. Hopefully we’ll see you next year Matt!!

Next year’s theme….

Bring something foreign